On Strike

Well done Chris and congratulations on landing a true trophy fish. Just Booked NZ but might have to book another to Tassie. Always a good feeling letting the big ones go too. Nice work. Paul On Strike

Fisheries checked anglers at paddys on opening day. I think it was 30 anglers for one fish, Eucy was 60 + anglers for five fish. The fish run when the conditions are right and unfortunately or fortunately don't stick to the calendar. Paul On Strike

I grew up fishing the area from the banks at low tide. Check google earth and you'll see a line of weed beds that go from Fisherman's Bay channel and run parallel to the shore behind the ballast heap. There were some pools amongst the weeds to fish. we got heaps of flathead on plastics and some old guys used to fish them with poddies. If you walk the area at low tide you will see flathead lies on the sand. Fish these areas at high tide. Paul On Strike

Thien, I buy mine online from the Uk but that is to buy one particular line. It really depends on the type of line you want. Once you have a fly line you will have it for a long time if you look after it. It pays to buy a good quality line first time. Good luck. Paul On Strike.

Hi all, Just a quick update on this one, the missing kayakers were actually clubby ski paddlers doing down wind training. Not in any trouble just training and came ashore at Fishermans Beach. Some of these guys even carry PLB's and flares which is great. Paul On Strike

I used Sikaflex to stick a 5cm odd square piece of nylon/plastic cutting board roughed up prior to glueing it to the transom. When cured I screwed the bait tank pickup to the nylon board. Lasted four years until I sold my boat. Paul On Strike.

Hi all, Fly fished the Eucumbene river for 4 fish over a day and a half. Only saw two other fish in the river. All fish caught on nymphs fished deep. River still up a little and the flow is quite quick. Best fish was a 3lb Rainbow. Lake fishing a little better. Saw a nice 6lb Brown caught at Portal on a soft plastic along with a few small rainbows. All fish were released. Paul On Strike.

Just heard back from Eucy, coloured and high but still fishable yet the fish appeared to have dropped back. Not many fish caught. My mate got a good 3.5lb Brown but that was it. He saw a couple of rainbows landed but most fishos with donuts. Nothing from Thredbo yet but I expect it to be almost unfishable due to high water. Paul On Strike.

Have friends fishing both Thredbo and Eucy. Waiting on reports. I'll wait for the madness to subside then head down Eucy next week. Lots of fish in the rivers and with the rain maybe some freshies too. Paul On Strike

Hi Don, It is early to fish for pelagics like tuna and the like but I know of big kings being hooked there during the cooler months. There are always big resident Kings around there. I would be targeting species that are around now like your snapper, drummer, groper and Blackfish. I know you can catch all these locally but if you haven't got a big bait or a live one sitting under a float your not in the game. Watch the water temp charts and when that warm water moves in down there get there as soon as you can. Don't forget Pike for live bait. There are heaps of them around there and the kings love them. We also spin a lot using half by quarter metals or slugs. Salmon, bonito, mack tuna , kings etc etc. I also used to fish Eves ravine at Beecroft out past the water tank at Currarong. Not sure if its within the boundary of the marine park down there now but definitely worth a look if its not. Access is a little tricky down the ravine but the warm currents and big fish sweep right past it. Beecroft is a great place with many different options. Keep at it and you'll crack it eventually. If your going back down on the weekend give the snapper a go at last light. unweighted half pillies will do the trick as long as you.ve used some burley towards the northern end. Paul On Strike

Hi Don, Mermaids is a great spot. I cut my teeth live baiting there many years ago. The biggest kings were always hooked at your feet and the size of them is incredible. Did you catch the slimies on site ?. Also try sending out a dead frigate ( when in season ) or even a dead slimie under a balloon. Hooked and have seen hooked the biggest marlin, tuna and kings on the dead baits for some reason. Good snapper off the northern end of the platform at last light on drifting pillies after berley. We used to catch the slimies and frigates on painted white barrel sinkers with a treble or single hook tied off the back. Also good black fish at times in the gutter at the northern end. Good to see a report from down south. Paul On Strike.

Hi Tintanic, Don,t loose faith in Pittwater. There is plenty of fish when you know how but it is coping a hiding from the netters and trappers. There are Kings ( although slow this time of the year ) around the barges on the western side of Scotland Island and also on the reef on the eastern side out from the Eastern wharf ( Public Wharf on Scotland Island. Reef is about 80m out but need a sounder to find it ). Live squid or yellowtail are the go. Saw a nice John Dory caught amongst the mooring at the Basin last week end and there are bream and trevally under West Head. Find the cement trig marker on the rocks, anchor where the sand meets the reef and berley with soaked chicken pellets. I use live nippers pumped from the sandy area at the Basin or up McCarrs Creek and drift them back with the current from the tide. If you like Blackfish there are also plenty of these around the wharves and rocks. The rocks under West head have plenty too. The key is lots of patients and berley. Just tucked in around the corner upstream on the left from Flint and Steel is a great spot to. Lots of bream but you need lead to keep the bait on the bottom when the tide is moving. Best advice though would be to invest in a pittwater charter and learn from it. Good luck. Paul On Strike

Hi Rich, As a kid I used to catch Ep, bass, bream and Jew right up the back of the Woronora River down the back on Engadine. I saw people paddle up from Woronora down the back of Sutherland. The water is brackish up the end and to get from the brackish to the fresh is a struggle as there is a shallow rocky area studded with trees and a small causeway. You may be able to drive down to the freshwater part from Lucas Height area. As Roberta said Google earth the area and you can see the causeway etc. Paul On Strike

I'm with Windy, Been trying to catch one on a fly for many years. Thats a great capture. They don't come much bigger than that either. Congratulations on a terrific fish. Paul On Strike.

Congratulations TeeDub, Blueachillies and Bikiefisho. Check your PM's. Enjoy the gear, look after it and fish safe. look forward to hearing from you. Thanks to the others for the replies and requests. Paul On Strike

Hi guys . No new replies so will let you know tomorrow. Thanks. Paul. On Strike

C'mon Guys, Surely a few more out there that would benefit from some free gear. Let me know and post a reason why you want it. I'll decide during next week. Thanks Paul On Strike.

Hi Reubs, I fished Palm Beach with the kids on Monday afternoon. Got Salmon, Bream and a couple of bust/bite offs on dusk. Fished Pillie tails and heads on single hooks. Some nice gutters up there. Heard of salmon and tailor off the beach at Curly too. Paul On Strike

Thanks to all, But I know most of us have gear we don't and won't use, gear we have had for years that could be being used by others maybe not as fortunate as us. I mean I might make $40.00 on online shop but so what. To make someone else's day means so much more. Maybe some good fishing karma will come my way. We'll see. Here hoping for some good homes for my old favourites. Paul On Strike. And thanks for the gold member status, Really not necessary but greatly appreciated.

Hi All , Had a look through my gear and decided it was time to GIVE AWAY ( yes free ) some gear not being used. Pay it forward style. Would prefer that this gear goes to someone starting out . I have a 9ft 15kg. LBG rod ( made for me by Bluefin Sports ) and a Daiwa Sealine 450H reel to go with it, both in good condition. (Has caught a lot of fish over the years. ) Also have a Shimano Bantam Crestfire 100 baitcaster (1 to 4kg line) in near new condition ( great learners reel with magnetic braking. I think I used it once ). Lastly I have a 12ft Ugly Stik surf/rock rod which needs a new sand spike and one runner but otherwise great. This rod is two piece but hasn't been apart for some time. ( Just needs some TLC ) All gear was saved for and bought by me when I was younger and would love for someone keen, starting out and unable to afford some good gear to have them. A couple of other bits and pieces to go with them too. Only catch is you'll have to come to the northern beaches NSW to pick them up. Let me know why you want the gear and I'll choose the most deserving. Pick up will be arranged via PM. Post Authorised by Swordfisherman ( thanks Swordie. Who knows this might start something good ) Good Luck. Paul On Strike

Hi Matt, I have used and my grand father used a plastic bowl or box with a piece of light fly screen over the top secured with an elastic band. Cut a small 6cm wide hole in the middle and you've got a cheap and very effective trap. I've also used glass bowls on the sand flats. I use sand to weigh it down. I've also seen some great traps hand made with coat hanger wire to make a square frame and covered with fly screen with a hinged base. Also try tidal lagoons and rock pools at the ends of beaches. My hook placement depends on what your fishing for. Study the way your target takes a bait, eg head first or tail first and place the hook accordingly. A lot of fish eat head first as the spikes on the bait don't get them as the bait goes down. Good Luck Paul On Strike

Hi Kit, I think salmons the final call and a bloody good one too. The fish in my photo was caught on the 5th June ( thats when the photo was sent to me )Did your friend get it mounted ????. Would look great on the man room wall. Also heard that whoever caught one of the other ones got picked up by Fisheries on the way out for not having a fishing licence. I too got asked for mine at Eucy so make sure you carry it with you all the time. Good to see Fisheries out checking too I think. See you on the river. Paul On Strike

Check out the Gaden Trout hatchery website at www.dpi.gov.au/fisheries/info/gaden. In the photos on the left hand side there is a photo of a brood salmon. Same colours and mug as in the FR photos. When compared with the colouration of the brood brown shown the difference is obvious. I was told yesterday that most of the salmon released are fin clipped but not always. I too have caught salmon in Lake Jindabyne and they looked nothing like the beasty from the river. They were more silver/bronze in colour with small spots. A mate who lives there suggested that a small number of brood stock are released straight into the river in the No fishing area at the hatchery and obviously they are free to roam.This has credit due to the fact that there was a small number of fish of the same size caught in the same part of the river around the same time. I wasn't able to get an answer weather or not the fish were released into the river or the lake. I think that maybe the brood salmon adapt and change a little given they are living in a pond and being fed pellets as opposed to swimming in the lake or the flowing river. Was told that the salmon are known to swim back up the river after being released into the lake as they can smell the water from which river they came from and obviously the hatchery water is pumped out of the river . Never caught one in the river though. Now back to fly tying. Paul On Strike

This photo was sent to me last week after a friend of mine helped land it at Jindabyne. Those who know will know the spot immediately so its no big secret. Coincidentially the this fish appears to have been caught in the exact same spot as that reported by Cruisecraft. Both fish show an uncanny resemblance. My photo however shows a large ball on the lower jaw. A fisheries officer identified the fish as a released brood stock salmon released from the hatchery days earlier. As I understand it about four were caught soon after release and all were about 13lb or 6kg. For mine the tail looks more like a brown but the head looks like a salmon. What are your thoughts.

Hi again, I will post a picture of the 13lber identified by the guys that let it go in the Freshwater chat section so as to not hijack this post. Paul On Strike